Sunlight and Flooring Choices

The Sunshine State.

Sunlight should be considered when selecting your flooring type and when considering the layout of the flooring product. Florida is known as the Sunshine State. Floridians, on average, enjoy much more than 200 days each year with complete or substantial sunshine. Our homes often have large bay windows, french doors, and sliding glass doors. Beams of light will make your floors look better or reveal imperfections.

Oxidation or Bleaching.

Intense sunlight will tend to change the color of most flooring products over time. Keeping your blinds drawn will minimize the discoloration that occurs due to oxidation. Porcelain, ceramic tile, and stone are among the least affected by daily exposure to the sun. Some stone will become dry and appear dull. Medium beige carpet my become light beige with a touch of yellow. Hardwood may bleach or darken. The change in color is gradual over time and is gradual over the space. (See the first image below.) The contrast is more noticeable if an original, unfaded piece of flooring is set next to the installed flooring near the light source after a couple of years of fading.

The sunlight beaming through the left side both illuminated and faded the carpet.

The hardwood’s color change was apparent when the rug was moved. The exposed wood darkened.

Sense of Space.

Airy spaces that breathe light can be combined with light colored flooring to amplify the spaciousness or coupled with dark colored flooring as a counter balance to feel more cozy. Smaller spaces with minimal light are generally not suited for dark flooring. To remedy, consider adding additional lighting.

Shadows and Reflections.

Light creates shadows. The brighter the light, the more intense the shadows. Light will reveal peaking carpet seams, dimpled vinyl due to irregular floor prep, cupping or crowning boards in wood, and scratches in laminate. A high-gloss surface can nearly reflect light like a mirror. No floor is so opulent as a highly polished or high-sheen floor in a room bursting with light. Conversely, the highly reflective surface will also reveal imperfections and wear faster than low-sheen flooring.